What a relief! After decades of horrendous traffic congestion in South Beds, a new bypass scheme has finally pulled away from the lights.

Last Wednesday the government published its 'draft orders' for the project, which will give Leighton Buzzard far better access to the M1.
The new Dunstable northern bypass will see a dual carriageway linking the A5/A505 junction with a new Junction 11a on the M1.

In a series of public announcements, the Highways Agency set out its plans to compulsorily purchase land along the route, which will cut through countryside north of Houghton Regis and join the M1 just below Chalton.

Details of the bypass will go on show at a series of public exhibitions starting on Thursday.

Construction of the three-mile-long bypass also paves the way for a link road to the Woodside industrial estate, taking HGVs out of Dunstable town centre altogether.

Highways Agency project manager Karen Green said: "The publication of the detailed plans is an important development for Bedfordshire.

"The scheme aims to ease congestion on the A5 by providing an alternative route for road users between the A5 and the M1. As well as improving safety for road users, the proposed new link road would also improve journey time reliability by removing long-distance traffic, including heavy goods vehicles, from Dunstable and providing a direct route for traffic travelling from the local road network to the M1."

Welcoming the news, Leighton's MP Andrew Selous said: "I very much welcome this news today.

"The completion of the road cannot come too soon to improve direct motorway access to Leighton Buzzard and Linslade and will relieve congestion in Houghton Regis and Dunstable. It will make South West Bedfordshire a better place to live and do business and will help local job prospects."

Central Beds councillor Tom Nicols, in charge of sustainable development, said the scheme would make a huge difference to the area.
"People in Dunstable suffer so much from traffic fumes and severe traffic problems," he said. "The centre of Dunstable will be the main beneficiary but it's of key importance to the whole of Central Bedfordshire as well, and even as far out as Aylesbury. There will be an awful lot of winners. It will transform the chaotic state of our towns, particularly Dunstable, and have massive benefits for industry and employment.

"We are going to have to accommodate 43,000 new homes in this area – we've got to make sure we've got the necessary transport links for the people who are going to live in them."

Mr Nicols said his one concern was that money allocated to the scheme could instead be used to help bail out British banks.

He said: "It's not guaranteed until the concrete is actually being poured. When the lorries start turning up, I'll breathe a sigh of relief."

n People can view the plans at the following exhibitions:
>> Thursday, December 17, 2pm-8pm, Adult Learning Office, Kingsland Skills and Enterprise Centre, Parkside Drive, Houghton Regis.

>> Thursday, January 7, 2pm-8pm, Dunstable Leisure Centre, Court Drive, Dunstable.

>> Saturday, January 9, 10am-4pm, Wilkinson Church Hall, Station Road, Toddington.